The Absolute Best Place to Eat Seafood in Columbus

To find the city’s definitive bite of the sea, you have to know where the butter flows. Columbus might be a landlocked town, but our obsession with a properly fried catfish or a briny oyster is a matter of local pride, a quiet competition played out from the Short North to the bustling Easton parking lots.

This list spans the full spectrum of our aquatic appetites, from the telepathic service and masterful crab cakes at Hank’s to the gloriously messy crawfish at Shrimp Lips, a place where the menu’s whimsy meets a shattering crunch. We’ve also tracked down the plump oysters at Frank’s, a market that proves freshness isn’t bound by geography.

Dig in, but bring a bib.

Hank's Low Country Seafood & Raw Bar

Highlights
Best seafood in CBUS
Impeccable, attentive service
Standout crab cakes
Superb wine guidance
Ideal for special occasions

Hank's Low Country Seafood & Raw Bar is not a restaurant so much as a masterclass in hospitality, and I mean that with the deepest respect. From the moment I settled in, the service was so attentive it bordered on telepathic, yet never once did it feel hovering. The crab cakes, those golden orbs of sweet, lump meat with a crackling crust, are the sort of dish you recall years later. I also appreciated the wine guidance, which came without a trace of pretension; the sommelier simply listened and suggested. For a special occasion, this is the room you want. It is, quite plainly, the best seafood in Columbus. Bring a person you love and a healthy appetite.

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Shrimp Lips Seafood and Chicken

Highlights
Catfish hits every time
Lobster fries are crowd favorites
Fried shrimp packs a punch
Crawfish for the brave
Pleasant service with local pride

Shrimp Lips Seafood and Chicken has a name that suggests whimsy, but the cooking is dead serious. The catfish, fried to a shattering crunch while the flesh inside stays moist and flaky, hits every single time, and I have tested it more than once. The lobster fries, a decadent tangle of seasoned fries crowned with tender lobster meat, are the kind of crowd favorite that sparks arguments over the last bite. Fried shrimp packs a punch, too, with a bold batter that crackles. And the crawfish, for the brave, arrive properly spiced and messy in the best way. Service here carries a pleasant local pride that makes you feel like a regular on your first visit.

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Lee's Seafood Boil-Columbus

Highlights
Exceptional lobster bisque served
Generous add-on corn options
Fresh, high-quality seafood boils
Patient, helpful waitstaff guidance
House salad and cheesecake shine

Lee's Seafood Boil-Columbus may initially read as a casual boil joint, but the kitchen is doing something more nuanced. The lobster bisque, silky and deeply flavored with a gentle sherry warmth, is exceptional, and I would return for that alone. Yet the seafood boils themselves are fresh, high-quality, and generously portioned, with corn add-ons that feel like a thoughtful bonus rather than an upsell. What truly stood out, however, was the waitstaff, patient and helpful in guiding me through the spice levels and cook times. The house salad and a slice of cheesecake, simple as they sound, shine with care. A sleeper hit for those who want more than a bucket.

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Frank's Fish And Seafood Market

Highlights
Freshest seafood in Columbus
Fish melts like butter
Plump, briny, delicious oysters
Knowledgeable, friendly staff
Top-notch quality selection

Frank's Fish And Seafood Market is where I suspect the city's best kept seafood secret lives, though the staff are too kind to call it a secret. The fish here, whatever the day's catch, melts like butter, which is a texture I had almost given up finding outside coastal towns. Oysters, plump and briny with a clean finish, are shucked with precision and served without fuss. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly, eager to explain the provenance of each fillet or the difference between their gulf shrimp and the others. The quality selection is top-notch, and you can taste the difference in every bite. This is the place for purists who want the sea, unadorned.

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Cajun Boil Bar

Highlights
Perfectly prepared, full seafood menu
Phenomenal service, welcoming staff
Excellent beer and spirits selection
Great choice for celebrations
New favorite seafood destination

Cajun Boil Bar has officially become my new favorite seafood destination in Columbus, and I do not say that lightly. The menu is full, with every protein from shrimp to snow crab prepared perfectly, the boil bags arriving steamy and fragrant with a sauce that clings just right. The service is phenomenal, welcoming without being saccharine, and the staff seem genuinely delighted to watch you crack into your feast. What surprised me most was the excellent beer and spirits selection, which elevates the whole affair from a casual meal to a proper celebration. The room hums with happy chatter, and for birthdays or anniversaries, this is a great choice. I left already planning my return.

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Fountain's Take II

Highlights
Best alligator bites in Ohio
Bacon-wrapped shrimp standout starter
Fresh, well-seasoned fried seafood
Attentive service from Lynn
Flavorful wings and crab fries

Fountain's Take II is the kind of place that makes you wonder why you haven't visited sooner, and once you taste the alligator bites, you will wonder why everyone isn't talking about them. I have eaten alligator in several states, and these are the best in Ohio, no contest, crispy on the outside, tender and mildly sweet within. The bacon-wrapped shrimp, another starter, is a standout, the smokiness of the bacon playing off the briny shrimp. Fried seafood across the board is fresh and well-seasoned, with a batter that holds its crunch. Our server, Lynn, was attentive in that old-school way, checking in without interrupting. The wings and crab fries also deserve a shout, but the gator is the star.

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['plas]

Highlights
Inventive flavor combinations throughout
High-end presentation and texture
Memorable vegan tasting menu
Chef's Whim offers pure surprise
Attentive staff, intimate setting

['plas] is a peculiar name for a peculiar place, and I mean that as high praise. The inventive flavor combinations throughout the menu feel less like gimmicks and more like genuine culinary curiosity, with each dish arriving as a small piece of edible art. The presentation is high-end, but the textures are what linger, silky purées, crisp garnishes, and proteins cooked to a precise point. I was especially taken by the memorable vegan tasting menu, which proved that this kitchen does not need butter or fish to make magic. The Chef's Whim, a surprise course, is pure delight, a gamble that pays off. Service is attentive, and the intimate setting feels like a secret. Come for the food, stay for the theater.

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Cajun Boil Bar-161 Location

Highlights
Memorable waitress nailed orders
Family Feast delighted birthday diners
Dungeness crab and shrimp heaven
Mild Cajun sauce, pure bliss
Worth returning for divine food

The 161 location of Cajun Boil Bar shares a name with its sibling but carves out its own identity, largely thanks to a waitress who remembered every detail of our order without writing a single thing down. She nailed it, down to the extra lemon and the mild sauce on the side. We ordered the Family Feast for a birthday, and it did not disappoint, a mountain of Dungeness crab and shrimp that felt like heaven on a metal tray. The mild Cajun sauce, often an afterthought, was pure bliss, buttery with a gentle heat that built slowly. The food here is divine, and I am already plotting a return trip. Just be prepared to leave with butter under your fingernails.

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Basi Italia

Highlights
Impeccable service and atmosphere
Fresh, balanced, artful courses
Smoked salmon bruschetta excels
Worth the downtown journey
Memorable desserts and drinks

Basi Italia is worth the downtown journey, and I do not say that lightly, given the parking challenges. The service is impeccable, with a warm, unhurried pace that makes you feel like the only table in the room. The atmosphere, intimate and softly lit, sets the stage for courses that are fresh, balanced, and artful. The smoked salmon bruschetta excels, the fish silky and rich against a crisp, toasted base, with just enough citrus to cut through. Desserts and drinks are memorable too; I am still thinking about the limoncello something-or-other. This is not a place for a quick bite, but rather a proper evening out. If you are seeking romance, book a table here.

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Royal Fish Shrimp & Chicken

Highlights
Fair portions, questionable value
Pita burger substitution surprise
Good flavor in other items
Pricing not matching expectations

Royal Fish Shrimp & Chicken is a study in contrasts, and I left with mixed feelings that I am still untangling. The portions are fair, no doubt, but the pricing does not match what arrives on the tray. I ordered a pita burger, and what I received was a pita filled with a burger patty, which felt like a substitution surprise rather than a creative choice. The other items, however, had good flavor, particularly the fried shrimp, which were seasoned well. Yet the overall value leaves me hesitant. I want to root for this place, and the service was friendly enough, but I cannot shake the sense that the menu overpromises and underdelivers. A decent option if you are nearby, but not a destination.

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Kona Grill - Columbus

Highlights
Relaxing atmosphere and service
Stellar fries with sea bass
Outstanding meatballs and rice bowl
Signature butter cake dessert
Convenient Easton Town Center location

Kona Grill at Easton Town Center offers a relaxing escape from the mall chaos, and the atmosphere does a lot of the heavy lifting. The service is unhurried, and the space is comfortable, with a bar that hums pleasantly. I came for the sea bass, and while the fish itself was lovely, the real star was the fries that accompanied it, impossibly crisp and seasoned with a smoky salt that made me want to order a second basket. The meatballs and rice bowl were outstanding, too, rich and comforting without being heavy. And do not skip the signature butter cake dessert; it arrives warm, gooey, and dangerously easy to finish. The location is convenient, the cocktails are solid, and the meal feels like a treat.

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Mandrake Rooftop

Highlights
Best city views
Exceptional service throughout
Cocktails and atmosphere shine
Tartar earns high praise
Alluring nighttime experience

Mandrake Rooftop is a place you go for the view, but you stay for the food, and that is a rare combination. The city stretches out below you in a glittering grid, and the atmosphere, especially after dark, is alluring in a way that feels cinematic. The service is exceptional throughout, attentive but never intrusive, and the cocktails are as polished as the skyline. The tartar, which I ordered with some skepticism, earns high praise, the fish finely diced and bright with capers and a whisper of heat. It is the kind of dish that makes you close your eyes. The evening wraps up with a sense of occasion. For a special night out, this rooftop is hard to beat.

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